The Lyre
by atomicpen
Summary: The seven years waiting for a Hero of Time have passed and Sheik is finally convinced he is the right one. But the shadows bring a greater threat than just Gannondorf... AU-Sheik is his own character. EDIT: Ch.7 is up! Read, Enjoy, Review!
1. Sahair

**||..—..||**

**..|Chapter One: Sahair|..**

There's something inexplicably sad about the fact that a child is needed to save the world. His body is that of an adult… but his mind slumbered those seven years, those seven lost years. He had to grow up in as many days as he spent years sealed away in the Sacred Realm.

Queen Zelda tells me that his swordsmanship and courage surpass that of others his physical age… but he is still a child emotionally and mentally. I know this is the way it must be, and I can tell Zelda does as well, but does not like it. She is in love with the boy, I know.

The way she speaks of him gives all away. Her eyes do not, nor her facial expression; she has been learning well all I teach her of how to be me. I also can tell she has come to love and hate her lessons with me. She enjoys learning in general, and enjoys the physicality of "being" a Sheikah. But I live in the desert, far from even the Goddess in the Sand, and she despises leaving Hyrule… and Link… for even a moment.

But soon, I will meet Link myself, for I am the only one permitted by the Goddesses to teach the warping songs; Link, under the watchful eye of Queen Zelda, draws nearer to the Sacred Meadow, and it is there that he will need to learn the first of six songs. Zelda seems quite distressed over this, but tries to hide it.

"No," I said sharply to Zelda. "Try again."

She sighs exasperatedly. "You're not even telling me what I'm doing _wrong_," she complains, straightening and turning to me. "How can I get better unless you help me?"

I smile mysteriously, though the motion is lost behind my cloth mask. No one has ever seen my face, after my father died and mother left when I was a little boy.

"Sheikah must learn to not lean upon their masters, for a time will come when I will not be here," I reply.

She lets out a breath. "Sheik… I am not Sheikah. I'm only masquerading as one to help guide Link."

My smile fades. I had momentarily forgotten she was not a true Sheikah. I would not have been allowed a student so young, even if I were not the last, adept though I am in Sheikahn skills. My eyes narrow briefly. Still, I should not have forgotten her true role, and that she is not Sheikah.

I bow my head the slightest bit. "My apologies, Queen Zelda."

I know she masquerades as me to do more than just guide Link; on more than one occasion, she has called on me for help, or suddenly appeared in my tent, having almost been seen when she should not have been seen.

"_You take too many risks for one so unskilled," I told her._

"_Then teach me," she replied, though she was angry at my remark,_

_I hesitated. "Very well," I said, against my better judgement. I was nowhere near old enough to teach. She, more importantly, was not Sheikah. But I suppressed my instincts and convinced myself it was best for the kingdom._

I hope my choice does not turn out to be ill made.

She relaxes. "It's all right, Sheik. I'm just… on edge."

She is fearful that something might happen when I go to teach the Hero of Time. There is no basis for her thoughts; I am much more skilled than she at Sheikahn arts, for obvious reasons, and I am not as reckless as she. Three years of age between us seems a larger gap than it should when she acts like this.

"We all are," I reply instead. "Seven years of nothing but survival instincts takes a toll on all of us." I purse my lips, but do not say that I hope this Hero of Time will not fail. There have been others who have tried…

"You do know what to tell him, right?" she asks for possibly the fourth time, breaking my thoughts.

"Yes, _sahair_." I specifically use the Sheikah word for a student.

She cast her eyes down at the term, and suddenly the Queen of Hyrule—rather, she who will be—submits to a mere Sheikah.

"I'm sorry, _anahti_," she apologises, calling me 'teacher'.

I nod slowly. "Do not worry. We are all tense; I will not forget what I must tell the Hero of Time, however." Were I a different person, I would have offered her a smile in comfort, but I am not that way, nor are my people. She must learn to draw strength from herself.

"Now, _sahair_," I use the term kindly this time, "sit and meditate. The days have been long and stressful, and your mind needs rest."

She obeys without a further word, and I hope she will be able to clear her mind of all things, including the Hero of Time. I somehow doubt it, though. She will find peace in sleep, though she has not been sleeping well these most recent months. Tonight she will find good dreams and a long rest. I will make sure of it.

Tonight, I leave to meet the Hero of Time in a week's time.

**|||…—…|||**

* * *

**A/N: Man, it's been a while since I've written, let alone written a fanfic. Shame on me. Anyway, this is technically my first Zelda fic, but I've tried writing one before (the story I was going to use I'm turning into a doujinshi, if I ever get off my lazy butt and draw), and kept losing it. Then I got this idea, and so I'm going with it. Slight AU 'cause Sheik is his own character.**

**Sheikah Language:**

_**Anahti**_**: Teacher, used exclusively for those who train others in the fighting and stealth styles of the Sheikah.**

_**Sahair**_**: A student of any kind.**


	2. Hero of Time

**||..—..||**

**..|Chapter Two: Hero of Time|..**

The days go by uneventfully until the third night—the night I enter Hyrule Field proper. Exiting the Gerudo Valley, there are a few camps of Gannondorf's followers: Lizalfos, spread out in threes and fours. There only seems to be about a dozen of them. Not a threat, I decide, and begin to slip around them. I would have little difficulty defeating them if it came to that, but my people, while we are skilled in the martial arts, do not condone needless fighting. So, I stay to the shadows.

A Lizalfos presumably on guard almost runs into me as I am watching the others, but I am too well trained to be caught so easily. Nimbly, I slip away, unnoticed.

An instant after I allow myself a small smile, three Gerudo are upon me.

We fight a virtually silent battle, and in the end, the three are not enough to bring me down. I am wounded from a sabre slash across my chest but am otherwise in one piece. I first check to see if the Lizalfos heard us and are coming to investigate, but their fires are dimmed, and all but two lookouts seem to be sleeping. Satisfied, I go back to the slain Gerudo and kneel by one of them, inspecting. I have never seen this type before; the women of Gerudo Valley normally wear reds, pinks, or whites, with rare deviations otherwise. These three are garbed entirely in black. I draw back the veil of the one I am examining and find a curious tattoo on the left side of her face, just above the jaw line. I narrow my eyes. I do not like the look of this, or the implications.

I stand, after committing the strange tattoo to memory. I have no time for this now; I must reach the Sacred Meadow before the Hero of Time. I do not wholly trust in him as Zelda seems to, and I want to observe him a little in that sacred place before I teach him the song.

I journey the rest of the night unhindered.

**||..—..||**

Had I more time, I would have stopped in Kakariko in the graveyard to pay my respects to my ancestors and the Shadow Temple, but I cannot. Perhaps on the way back. I have not been in Hyrule for several years; my life has taken me beyond the sands. I do not believe in helping the Royal Family anymore, after their great betrayal, but there is a sin of mine I must atone for, and this will help with that.

Pushing such thoughts to the back of my mind, I focus on the task at hand. I straighten on the wall I'm standing on and allow myself a moment's peace before setting out toward the Lost Woods again.

No other monsters in Hyrule Field bar my crossing, and soon I am in the dark of the forest.

**||..—..||**

I don't remember much of my childhood. My father, my friends, even my mother's face have all faded from my memory, as I never saw much of any of them. I was born in Kakariko Village, as that was the last Sheikah town and outpost, to a nameless Sheikah man and the Sheikah woman who watched over Zelda instead of her own son.

I seem to remember having a few friends who weren't terrified of the red of my eyes. One of them was a falcon that responded to the name Æthis and quickly became my confident. It mattered little that he could not respond in words I understood, though at times I wish he could have. I wish now he was still around, for I long for a familiar presence I could trust, but he flew off on his own life's quest long before mine took me to the sands.

There were others, mostly animals, though one or two other children did not fear me, though their parents always did and soon the children were forbidden to play with the 'demon child'.

But memories serve us no purpose other than to remind us of mistakes we've made so we do not make them again.

The forest, like my mood, is dark around me. It is all too easy to slip in past the monsters and Gannondorf's guards that have invaded the Sacred Meadow. I look down on the remains of the Forest Temple to the empty ground below. Of course, I am early. There was never been a time in my life when I have been late. Everything happens when it is meant to happen; perspective and wishful thinking created the concept of being 'late', as far as I am concerned. I settle my back against a part of the ruin, overgrown with soft, spongy moss, and wait.

**||..—..||**

Night falls and still I wait for this Hero of Time. My mind dwells on doubts of this current incarnation of the Hero of Time. None of the others survived long enough for me to remember or bother with them. Much as I hope that doesn't happen this time, I still fear failure. I pull a strip of salted meat from my pack and eat. It is cold here, but I am used to the cold nights of the desert, and garbed as I am, none but extreme climates affect me.

I hear him coming a long way off. The dying roars of the Moblins signal the Hero's arrival. I straighten and stretch slowly; nothing I do is rushed if I can help it. Leaning over the edge of the broken stairwell, I can see the Hero of Time enter, though he does not see me. My eyes narrow and I hold my breath as he nears and I am able to get a clear look at his face for the first time.

And I am most unimpressed.

**|||…—…|||**


	3. Shirahndi

**||..—..||**

**..|Chapter Three: Shirahndi|..**

The twist in my gut doesn't go away as I watch him look around before spotting a stump next to the temple's broken entrance. A look of sadness crosses his face, and I somehow know that this place has played a large role in his past. Minutes pass as I observe him a little longer before he turns his back to me. I look to the sky. Here is the first moment of, Goddesses be good, many more. I leap silently and land lightly. He whirls on me, surprised. I am impressed that he could hear me—sense? I wonder—land behind him. But, I do not allow this to raise my hopes that this Hero of Time will succeed where others more experienced than he failed.

Link recognises me as Sheik, though he is not able to tell the difference between Zelda and myself. She has done well. I close my eyes for a moment, then make a motion with my hand.

"The flow of time is always cruel…" I begin, feeling the power of the Goddesses pulsing through me. "Its speed seems different to each, but no one can change it."

A flash of pain goes over his face that is hard not to miss. My expression softens and I remember that he is still a child in his heart. He wears his emotions unknowingly on his face. But, what does he feel sadness for, I find myself wondering. The loss of time and his childhood? Or friends he knew when he was young?

A tingle goes through my system, and I start to feel light-headed.

"A thing that doesn't change with time is a memory of younger days… in order to come back here again, play the Minuet of Forest," I finish with my throat burning.

I draw my lyre from its holder on my back and spread my fingers near the strings, hovering there a moment. The strings vibrate with a power of their own, and a heady sensation all but overwhelms me. The power of the Goddesses flows through me with no floodgate to ebb it, and I hear their voices sing out in perfect harmony. Losing myself utterly in their energy, I am dimly aware that my fingers play the melody they sing me on the lyre. The sound of an ocarina cuts into my awareness, and I am brought back to the present here and now. Link and I play the melody together, and my body is left with every nerve tingling even after the brunt of the power has gone away. I replace the lyre in its holder and take a few steps back.

"Link… I'll see you again…"

He begins to come toward me, but I throw down a deku nut and remove myself from his sight while he is blinded by the flash.

I rest against a rock and watch as he uses his hookshot to pull himself up onto the ruined staircase and into the Forest Temple. My throat burns from speaking with the power of the Goddesses, and I am still slightly light-headed. Now it is a different game I must play; all I can do now is wait and hope.

**||..—..||**

In a few hours, there are replacements for Gannondorf's temple guards that Link killed and I amuse myself by watching them. After a few moments, I spot a Stone of Truth. These stones were left many generations ago by my people. To the ordinary person, they merely give the time. I heard tell once that there was a mask created that allowed the wearer to speak briefly with the stones, but I have no idea if this is true or not. I move silently over the tops of the labyrinth walls to the stone. But, to a Sheikah, our histories are in those stones. Our legends, our songs, everything that makes us who we are. My face grows grim. Who I am. I sometimes doubt that I truly am the last Sheikah. The world is a large place, and it would not be hard for Sheikah to keep themselves in hiding.

I sit against the stone.

"No," I say softly to myself. "There would be no chance of that."

"What do you want to hear?" the stone suddenly asks. It isn't loud enough for Gannondorf's minions to hear.

Closing my eyes, I rest my head back on the stone.

"_Shirahndi_…" I reply. It is a favourite song of mine.

The soft melody drifts out from the stone and I feel my body relax more than it has in a long while. My throat still burns, but it is a pain I welcome. My life has always been tied to music in ways that I have known no one else's to be. Now it is tied to the Goddesses.

Soon, I do not hear the footsteps of the guards, and I slip into sleep.

**||..—..||**

The stone has long since fallen silent when I awaken. The guards are all but completely still and there is almost a gentle calm in the night air. I stand, stretching. There is no reason to wait here, really. But, I want to see if this Hero of Time makes it out of the Forest Temple. He would be the first. I go back to the Temple itself and perch on a high branch overlooking the entrance. I have no idea how long it will take him to defeat the demons and monsters within and come out. If he succeeds. Despite myself, I find a gleam of hope in my heart as I think back on Link. I smile sadly. I want so much to believe that he is the Hero for whom we have waited so long, but I cannot allow myself to be let down again.

It will hit Zelda hard if he dies, I realise. For whatever reason, she has grown quite attached to him. I let out a small breath. If this Link is not our Hero of Time, it will be time that I speak with the Queen of abandoning this notion of the prophecy being true and to focus on gathering what little support she has left in the kingdom to fight Gannondorf. I pull my mask down and rub my chin in thought. Perhaps we could enlist the help of neighbouring kingdoms, as well. This in mind, I settle back to wait and ponder.

**||..—..||**

Three days have passed, and there is no sign of Link. I have given this enough of my time. I take one last look at the temple entrance, then turn and leave. No guards are aware of my passing or even my presence. The music of the Lost Woods is refreshing after the silence of the Sacred Meadow; I could not nor dared not sit by the Stone of Truth too often and risk alerting anything of my presence.

As I enter the Kokiri Forest, a strange sight strikes me. There are no monsters, and the Kokiri are out of their houses, looking around in wonderment. I keep to the shadows as I leave, though I go slowly to take in that this place is finally free of Gannondorf's power.

Perhaps there is hope in this Hero of Time, after all.

Hyrule Field itself is still overrun with monsters, though I manage to avoid them as I travel back to the desert. As I go, I pass a large pool and spot a figure there. Something pulls me toward whoever it is, though I keep my silence as I draw nearer, just in case. Cowl hiding half my face, I suddenly stop, realising who it is. A look of shock crosses my face for a moment, I know, despite my years of training. I am glad the mask is up and he is turned the other way. I stand there for a few minutes, and then decide against my desire to go to him and turn to walk away.

"Sheik?"

I whirl and come face to face with Link this time. I keep my face calm and the emotion out of my eyes. He watches me for a little while.

"You defeated the evil in the Forest Temple," I say, finally. It isn't quite a question.

He nods. My eyes narrow slightly.

"It is merely the first step of many." I can see no real easy way to depart.

"Why did you leave?" he asks me suddenly.

I am startled that this question addresses the very thought I just had. Is he that perceptive, or is it mere chance?

"What?"

"Why did you not stay to help me in the Temple if you know how dangerous and important these tasks are?" He takes a step closer.

I shake my head a little. "It is not my duty." I give him a pointed look. "I am not the Hero of Time." I do not say that he is, either; my doubts still glare predominantly in my mind.

His eyes widen. Mine narrow again. I wonder if what I have said has upset him. And then, I realise it has nothing to do with anything I said and everything to do with my eyes. Before I can stop myself, I avert my eyes from his. It has been a long while since I have been around anyone who was not used to their colour. Queen Zelda has violet eyes herself, and by now she is used to my crimson ones.

Link is trying to say an apology, but I shoot him a look and he stops. His eyes lock onto mine. The words to tell him to not bother apologising are on my lips, to tell him that I am used to it.

"Look to Death Mountain," is all I say.

Another deku nut blinds him, and I am gone long before he can see enough to look for me.

**||..—..||**

"He defeated Gannondorf in the Forest Temple?" Zelda exclaims. "Oh, I always knew he would." She gives me a look with a smirk. "See, Sheik? It pays to have faith."

I purse my lips slightly. "We are not out of the woods yet, Queen. There are still more temples."

She frowns at me. "Sheik… he has gone farther than any of the others. And have you forgotten that he wields the Master Sword?" Her voice is intense by now, and I smile sadly, not minding that the motion is hidden from her.

"My Queen… It does not truly matter what you have, but how you use it." She hears the doubt in my voice and seems determined not to let them become her own.

"I will not give up hope or lose faith in the prophecy… or him." She turns and leaves me to my thoughts for a while.

I brew myself some tea and think about what Zelda said. I purse my lips. Does it matter that Link has the Master Sword? I know the prophecy as well as any Hylian, but I am still unsure. My nature does not allow me to be easily convinced of anything by faith alone. I do not want to place all my hopes on one person. Still…

I sip my tea, breathing in the warm steam.

He does fit the profile of the prophecy, and he did free the Forest Temple of evil. I close my eyes. He will go to the Fire Temple next, and I will meet him again there. My thoughts turn to what I felt when the Goddesses' power flowed through me, and I dwell on that until I prepare for sleep.

**|||…—…|||**

* * *

**Sheikah Language:**

_**Shirahndi**_**: A name of a song meaning, "Thoughtful Love"**


	4. Shadow Walker

**||..—..||**

**..|Chapter Four: Shadow Walker|..**

I am in the state between sleep and waking. I see red, though whether it is because of the tent or my closed eyes, I cannot tell. The mists of a dream cling to the edges of my mind, and I roll over to try and coax them back. Perhaps if I ignore the sun, I can convince myself to go back into the dream.

The light brightens considerably.

"You even sleep with that thing on?" Zelda's voice slices into my mind. I open my eyes to find I am facing the tent flap, which Zelda holds open and stands in front of.

My hand goes instinctively to the lower half of my face to make sure it is still covered. I sit up.

"Yes. A Sheikah never reveals his face," is my reply to her question.

Softly, she kneels in front of me. A look of interest is on her face.

"Why is that?" she asks me.

I hesitate. "Because we are the people of shadow. We are trained to not be seen, and it is considered a disgrace for anyone outside of a lover to see a Sheikah man's face." I am not sure why I tell her. Perhaps it is because it does not matter any longer.

She seems to sense my thoughts. "Even though you are the last?"

I nod. "Even though I am the last. I honour the memory of my ancestors, and keep loyalty to my people by following our traditions."

She reaches out to touch my face, or perhaps remove my mask. I snatch her wrist automatically, not looking at it. She doesn't draw away.

"You would not show even the Queen of Hyrule?"

I stare into her eyes, my own intense.

"Were you to ask… No. I would not." I release her wrist and stand.

Still kneeling on the floor, Zelda looks up at me.

"Your eyes do not frighten me, Sheik," she tells me softly.

"I know, my Queen. I must go. Link will be heading to the Fire Temple, and I need to meet him there."

I am not sure if the longing in her eyes signified her desire to go in my place, or with me. As I go, I find myself humming _Shirandi_. After a few moments pass, the words come back to me. While I do not sing them aloud, the story they tell strikes me as ironic, if I considered it in parallel with Zelda's situation with Link—or lack of a situation with him. The song tells of love unrequited and misunderstood, of looking at the other with rosy eyes and not seeing the whole truth. But, I remind myself, it is not my problem. I only owe allegiance to Zelda and to Hyrule due to circumstance and an event in my past. When—if, I think grimly—Gannondorf is defeated and peace returns to Hyrule, and when my debt is paid to my satisfaction and to the Goddesses', nothing holds me to this land or to Zelda.

Entering Hyrule Field, I find it clear of Gannondorf's minions. I do not hurry, and a light rain begins to fall the closer I get to Kakariko Village. The village of my childhood. I purse my lips. It is doubtful that anyone there will even recognise me, and if they do, what will it matter? It would be easy to just avoid being seen, I tell myself. No need to dig up the past or its demons. When I reach the bridge that spans Hyrule River near the castle the rain is accompanied by lightning and thunder. I linger for a few moments, glancing at Hyrule Castle proper, noting with some dismay that the sky over it is as dark as ever. Gannondorf's hold on this land seems as strong as always. One temple may have been purified, but there are six others, and after those, Gannondorf himself. I can feel the dark power emanating from the castle and wonder why he chose this kingdom. Zelda told me about what happened with the Triforce, but in seven years, he has not made any moves to overtake any other kingdoms. I cannot believe that one was enough—not for someone like Gannondorf. It was power he dreamt of all his childhood, into his adult life. Why settle for just Hyrule, then?

I may never have the chance to know, however, as I doubt I will be asking the Dark King or that he will be answering any time soon. So lost am I in my thoughts that I do not hear the approach of a Lizalfos. I sense it at the last instant, and fail to jump away as it makes a grab for me. The scaly claws grip my arm, digging in. Though I wince, my suit is not punctured; the Lizalfos's claws are chipped and torn from years and probably many more battles. I suddenly go limp and drop to the ground, bringing the surprised creature down at least partially with me. My leg snaps out and kicks one of the legs out from under the Lizalfos, breaking the knee. In pain, the thing cries out and releases my arm, and I immediately take the opportunity to hurry away from the creature, though I do not entirely depart.

_Run_, my instincts tell me. But, my training wins over my instincts, and I linger, fingers going to a long dagger hidden on my person. Leaving an enemy alive causes grudges and problems later, and I have had my fill of those. Flicking my wrist, I unsheathe the dagger and advance on the Lizalfos. As I have said before, I prefer not to engage in combat unless I must, but I cannot allow this Lizalfos to alert any others to my presence. And, as I have already broken its knee, it almost seems cruel to leave it in pain.

The creature struggles to get to its feet again, but when it finds it cannot bear the pain, it draws its sword, prepared to fight until it draws its last breath. It is quite commendable, and I give the creature a nod and begin to advance.

It isn't much of a battle. I am quick—very quick—and my opponent has an injury. It is over in a matter of minutes. I say a small prayer to the Sheikah patron of war, and am on my way after that. The Stalchilds will take care of the Lizalfos's body when the sun sets, which will be soon. As I go toward Kakariko, I clean my blade, the importance of keeping one's weapons clean and in best working order as possible imprinted for years in my mind, and even a small scuffle such as that is hardly an exception to that rule.

Reprimanding myself for not noticing the Lizalfos in the first place and avoiding the fight altogether, I stop on the outskirts of the mountain town. It has been years since I set foot anywhere near this place, let alone within it. I look up at Death Mountain itself, and decide to go around Kakariko. Now is not the time to be visiting old ghosts. I turn toward the rock face and, after a moment's search, locate the hidden path I seek. There are spells of illusion covering the entranceway, but they were placed long ago by Sheikah, and I am able to find them somewhat easily.

We Sheikah have a magick that is slightly different than the other races have. We may look like Hylians, but, in truth, we are a cousin race. Our magick lies within rock and shadow, within song and thought. The Goddesses do not particularly favour us, though we are not completely outcast. As a result, we cannot use spells that come directly from the Three, nor will they help us if we call out to them. We can sense magick more easily than any other race, however, and we are experts at seeing through illusions and deceptions. After I enter the passageway, I replace the concealments back on the entrance and turn toward the dark. Drawing out a small rod, I snap the end of it off and a dim but steady light emanates from it. Only the Sheikah, as far as I know, have these rods. I am not certain if they were found or created, but they have been used for generations to light out paths in the dark. I get the sense that Link is drawing near Death Mountain Crater, and I hurry through the tunnel, not bothering to pause and look at the ancient carvings on the walls. After Gannondorf is defeated, I tell myself hopefully, I will take the time to learn this tunnel and others like it. Perhaps I will even write our histories down, so we will not be lost to time completely as the Duar were. For so long, our histories have been forbidden to be written on any parchment. Only oral tradition, the Stones of Truth, and some carvings contain anything of our pasts. If a Sheikah could not remember and know his own past, then he was not worthy of being called a Sheikah. Thus, I know nearly all Sheikah lore, and whatever I lack in knowledge, Impa and the Stones of Truth should make up the gap. I frown. I am not certain if Impa will be willing to share lore with me only to have me record it.

These thoughts occupy my mind until I feel the scorching heat of Death Mountain Crater. I cannot stay within the crater itself too long—this is an extreme heat I cannot stand even as I am dressed. I close my eyes and draw in a deep breath of air still untainted by volcanic sulphur and ash before I head within.

It is almost unbearably hot inside the volcano itself, and I quickly break out into a sweat. The air rolls in waves of heat, and it takes me a moment to orient myself. I see Link enters the crater from a far wall. Another moment's worth of looking and quick calculating, and I am in the air, leaping to the rock formations overlooking a broken wooden bridge that I see Link has no choice but to somehow get across. I pause for a moment as he reaches the bridge, then leap down on the opposite side. He starts a bit, perhaps not expecting me to meet him in the heart of a volcano with seemingly no protection against the heat. As in the desert, I am glad for the mask covering the lower half of my face, as it serves to keep out much of the ash floating in the air. It is growing very heavy and hard to breathe for me, but I can already feel the tingle of power within me, almost in anticipation. My throat still burns from the Minuet of Forest, and I know I will not be able to speak for at least a day after this. The powers of the Goddesses run unabated through me, and I have no protections against the repercussions. Still, I cannot reject my calling in life, the role I must play. And, truth be told, I long to feel the heady rush again. Before Link can say anything, for I see him look as if he is going to, I open my heart and throat to the Goddesses, and the words flow right through me.

Again, I am unaware of anything but the music. My fingers burn and feel as if they have a life of their own even as I know I control them as well. It is a feeling of pain and euphoria, emphasised by the sound of an ocarina, which also serves to bring my mind back to the present. My eyes open and focus on Link, the heat from the lava below sending waves through his figure now and again.

"Link… I'll see you again," I say and take a step back.

He reaches forward. "Sheik," is all he says, and something in his voice gives me pause.

"I…"

A quick shake of my head gives my answer to both of us, and I throw down a deku nut, the flash brilliant and white in the deep red of the crater. By the time Link's vision clears, I am perched on an outcropping almost directly above him.

Part of me desperately wishes I could help him. It couldn't hurt the fate of Hyrule if he were helped, would it? I know, however, that helping him is not my part to play. That, and the fact that I physically could not stay within this heat for as long as he would need my help. And so, I can only watch him make his way into the Fire Temple proper before climbing out of Death Mountain Crater.

Once outside, I find a giant owl perched on a sign. I give him a nod, and he bobs his head at me.

"I know you, _Rakhabír_," he says to me suddenly. I start a little at the term. It is the Sheikah term for "shadow traveller," and I have not heard it used for a very long time.

"Forgive me for being unable to return the courtesy," I reply, turning to face the giant owl fully.

"What brings you out of shadow and into Death Mountain?" he asks instead.

"The Hero of Time," is my simple answer. I eye him warily as he shifts on the sign.

"Ah, then we have a common reason." He bobs his head again. "Except, you are leaving, _Rakhabír_. Why?"

I close my eyes briefly at the term. It is both a compliment and a derogatory term at the same time, and I was not aware that there was anyone left alive who remembered it.

"Who are you?" I ask instead.

"That is not important. You are keeping an eye on Link?"

I decide not to take that as a question. "As are you."

It almost seems as if amusement appears in his eyes. "Indeed." He turns his head upside-down. "There are things you should look for before you can truly begin your atonement. This is not part of the deal with them."

His words are cryptic and I take them with a grain of salt as I make my way down the mountain again. I think I know of what he speaks, but I am not certain, and will have to ponder them before I decide if he was worth listening to. But, I concede, he was also keeping an eye on Link, and I did not sense any illusions or dark energy from him—quite the opposite, in fact. There were remnants of great power, and a strange sense of… closeness, as if I should have known him much more. I think on this as I decide where to set up camp for the oncoming night.

My dreams that night are filled with lost Sheikah passageways and the sound of an ocarina.

**|||…—…|||**

* * *

**A/N: ****I am so sorry for taking so long to freakin' update. This has been sitting around in a notebook for a couple of months before I found it again and typed it up and added to it. College has been a bitch with all the work I have to do, and stress I have to deal with (believe me, you don't want to know). BUT! I got it out. I'm going to start the next chapter soon, as I'm getting ideas again for where this could go. Sort of. I have a few things that I know will happen later, but I need to get there first. We'll see.**

**Thanks for waiting and keeping an eye out, though!**

**Sheikah Language:**

_**Rakhabír**_**: Term meaning "shadow traveller."**


	5. Horses

**||..—..||**

**..|Chapter Five: Horses|..**

To say my days go by uneventfully would not be completely true. Ever since Gannondorf's monsters have been running amuck all over Hyrule, no day is ever utterly uneventful. Even those I spent in the desert alone were filled with meditation and travel. It is good to know, however, that my skills as a Sheikah have not grown rusty over the years spent away; I utilise them constantly now, to avoid detection by Gannondorf, his minions, and the Hero of Time. I want no one to know I am here, for how often does one check to see if their shadow is still there?

On the rock outcropping near Kakariko village, I can watch the town without worry of being seen. I spot a tunic of green amidst the villagers and townsfolk and follow its movements. The Hero of Time fits in easily among others, while at the same time standing apart. It is what makes him suited, I suppose, to be the Hero of Time. He has defeated the monsters and purified three temples thus far, and is taking a well-deserved rest after the amorphous amoeba that nearly killed him in the Water Temple. I close my eyes. It was almost all I could do not to help him defeat the monster, but I know that I am not meant to. Although, I cannot help but think that a little more assistance than what is required of me would not hurt…

I shake my head, clearing away such thoughts. The Goddesses have a plan for everyone, and it is our duty in life to follow those. Mine is to teach the Hero of Time songs that will warp him from one point to another… among other things not fully revealed to me as of yet. My faith in the Goddesses is far greater than what I have in Link, however. True, he has survived this far, where no other lived through the Forest Temple; only one other even managed to enter it. I cannot help but cast my eyes back toward what used to be Hyrule Castle. The townsfolk moved into Kakariko when Gannondorf drove them out and the town became overrun with monsters. Nearly eight long years have passed since then, and I almost feel as though time is running out. I must help speed the Hero on his way.

Without a sound, I am gone from Kakariko, and into the field. I have an idea.

During the day, it is difficult, as one would imagine, for a lone, darkly clad figure to cross the bright green of a field. Luckily, there are no monsters to avoid, nor any travellers to stay hidden from. I could, in the tall grasses of Hyrule Field, if I had to, but it would not be the easiest job. Thus, I am alone as I travel to Lon Lon Ranch. The walls of the ranch are high but rough, and provide many hand and footholds as I scale one. Climbing has always been second nature to me, and I have always felt drawn to a rock face. Even when I trained to become Sheikah, and was taught that we were to stay underground and in the shadows, part of me always was pulling to climb every mountain I could see. I allow myself a small moment of reverie, clinging to the side of the ranch. This is not as high as I would like to be climbing, but high enough that I hear no sounds from the ground and for the wind to kiss my hair. My sense of duty and time come back to me and I finish the climb. Perching atop the wall, I can see the whole of the ranch. I see a redhead next to the stables, facing a roan horse with snowy mane and tail. Swiftly, I make my way along the wall and stop above where she is. She has not noticed me. I can hear her conversation as I press myself close to the roughly hewn rock.

"Oh, Epona," she is saying. "You're lucky to not understand what's going on in Hyrule." She runs her hand along the horse's nose and forehead. "I know you can tell something's not right, but you still get oats and hay and a good currying just the same as before." The young woman gives a quick glance about herself and then lowers her voice. I strain my ears to hear what she says. "Things sure have changed here since Mr. Ingo drove Dad away. Sure, the work's the same, but… Something's just plain wrong with that man." She lets out a sigh and brushes some hair behind her ear. "I just wish things would go back to normal again."

I narrow my eyes and run over my options. I did not sense any subversive motives from this woman, and she did not seem sympathetic to Gannondorf or his minions. Thinking back to the Hero of Time and the plan I formulated on the way to the ranch, I decide it is in my—Hyrule's—best interest to follow through.

I drop down from the wall.

The woman gives a bit of a shriek and whirls on me, grabbing a nearby pitchfork and pointing it at me. I hear a window open in the house and back up to press myself into the wall again, still keeping my eyes on the pitchfork-wielding farmhand.

A man's nasal voice calls out, "Keep it quiet out there! Some people are _trying_ to get work done!" and then the window closes. I let out a breath and step away from the wall. The woman has not moved, though her grip has tightened around the long handle of the pitchfork.

"Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?" she demands. Her temper is as fiery as her hair, it seems.

"I require your assistance," I reply instead. "I am here on behalf of the Hero of Time—"

She lets out a rough laugh and scowls. "Yeah, you, everyone else, and their brothers. For the last seven years. I ain't falling for that old trick again." She takes a step closer, raising the pitchfork to be level with my chest. "Now, I'll ask you again, who the hell are you?"

I study her for a moment, and notice that she is trembling just the slightest bit. She is no seasoned warrior, that was for certain, but she is not a greenhorn, either. She is no match for me, but I do not think I would remain unscathed. Besides, my aim is not to fight, but to speed up the progress and travel of the Hero of Time. If that meant creating some sort of alliance with this farm girl, so be it.

"I am Sheik," I tell her.

"That supposed to mean something special to me?"

"—Survivor of the Sheikah, servant to the Royal Family of Hyrule, devotee of the Triple Goddesses." The tone in my voice does not change, but I try to sound as authoritative as possible. We Sheikah were never trained to be diplomats, and, as a result of spending our lives in secrecy, friends only to ghosts and shadows, we do not have what one would call "people skills." I have never concerned myself with it, even being the last one living. I would do my duty to the best of my ability. People did not have to like me for that to happen.

"Providing that I even believe that, what do you want here?" She glares at me, unwavering.

"A steed for the Hero of Time, to quicken his journey in purging Hyrule of the evil that has overtaken the land."

She lets out another rough laugh. "You some kind of poet or something? Your talk is so… archaic-like."

My brows go up from her use of the word. Where would a simple farmhand hear the word "archaic"?

"No. I am Sheikah, bound to serve the Royal Family and the Hero of Time—" I begin to repeat to her.

"I heard you the first time," she snaps. I stop. "How can I know you are what you say you are?"

In response, I throw down a handful of explosive powder drawn from a small pouch at my wrist, and a minor flash followed by a small plume of smoke mark my disappearance from her sight. As she is shielding her eyes and coughing from the smoke, I dart around her and mount the horse she was talking to. The smoke clears quickly, and she stares at the place where I was for a second, before spinning around, trying to find me. When she spots me astride the roan horse, she rests the pitchfork on the ground, forked side up, and leans against it.

I look down at her and raise a brow, though I doubt she noticed the movement. "Proof enough?"

"How much do you great Sheikah know about riding horses?" she asks me instead, a strange sort of smarmy smile perched on her lips.

It is enough of a sudden conversation change to give me pause. "Enough, why?"

"You just got up on the wrong horse."

As if on cue, the roan's ears flatten, and it snorts, nostrils flaring and eyes wide and rolling. The horse rears and I clutch at the mane to hold on. I have ridden horses before, but not many bareback, and not many who were unpredictable. As soon as the front hooves touch earth again, the roan shoots out like a dart, tearing around the ring. I try to keep my composure, to honour my ancestors, but in the end I am trying to merely keep a hold of the horse and not fall off. I fail at this as the horse nears the end of its circuit around the giant wooden corral in the centre of the ranch. I hit the dirt hard and rolling as the damnable horse slows to a trot and tosses its head, as if it knew exactly what it was doing and had done. The roan stops by the redhead and whickers, looking back at me and pawing the ground sharply. The woman strides over to me, before I am able to get to my feet, surprisingly, and aims the business end of the pitchfork directly at my neck.

"Now, you ready to really answer my questions?"

**||..—..||**

It takes me longer than I want to finally convince the farm girl that I truly am who I say I am, and that I am helping the Hero of Time. She tells me her name is Malon and that her father, Talon, is the rightful owner of Lon Lon Ranch. Soon after Gannondorf killed the king and took over Hyrule, he gave the farm's employee, Ingo, full power over the ranch, with the stipulation that Ingo would train a horse worthy of the new King of Evil. Talon had refused to do so, and was driven out by Ingo. Malon stayed under the guise of helping Ingo because she wanted to keep watch over the horses. She thought about trying to usurp Ingo in the beginning, but did not want to risk failing and having something bad happen to the horses. When I tell her about Link, she stares at me, aghast. It is then I find out they had met when they were children and became fast friends. I suppress the twinge of jealousy as easily as it comes. She believes what I say after that.

"I wonder why he hasn't come to see me," she muses, brow furrowing.

"He has been busy cleansing the temples of evil," I reply, the answer obvious to me.

She gives me an icy look. "He could have taken the time just once to stop by and let me know he was still alive. I'm going to give him a piece of my mind when I see him next."

"I feel, that if he had a horse to ride, he could save Hyrule all the more quickly," I say, returning to the business at hand and the entire reason of my venture.

She thinks on this and sits down on a hay bale. After pinning me down earlier with her pitchfork, she ushered me inside the stables so that we could talk more privately.

"Mr. Ingo doesn't allow anyone to come into the ranch these days," she said. "I don't know if I could sneak a horse out to him without it being noticed…" She falls silent, thinking.

"What if I told him to come here?"

She shook her head. "Mr. Ingo wouldn't let him in." Her temper flares again. "It's horrible for the horses, too! Not only are they skittish because he yells at them for something as idiotic as saying they stand the wrong way, but they aren't getting any proper exercise, because nobody's coming by to ride them!" Her hands curl into fists and she slams them down on her knees. I am astonished that she could care about the beasts so much. I take a quick glance to one of the dark horses in a stall, and wonder what it would be like to care about another living being to that degree.

Minutes of silence pass, and I hear her take a deep breath.

"I think I have an idea. You tell Link to get his sorry green ass over here, and I'll take care of the rest." She stands and grins at me, a sudden brightness coming into her face, lighting up her eyes. I find myself breathless for a moment before I regain my composure. This simple woman is full of more life than I have witnessed in any other being. In fact, I have only glimpsed what lives so naturally within her in breathtaking landscapes I have come across. No living being has as of yet shown me what she just has.

I give her a nod and a short bow, a sign of great thanks among my people, although I am sure the significance of that act is lost upon her. It is not often at all that one is privileged enough to meet with one so rich with Din's gift, those we Sheikah call _ubahitairi_. They are the blessed of the Goddesses, the true artists of this world, as they have the ability to see beauty in everything.

I watch her a few moments more, unaware that I am doing so, and she puts her hands on her hips.

"Don't you have somewhere to be going and someone to be fetching? Get! You're the one worried about time, Sheik!" She shoos me toward the stable doors facing the corral. "And make sure Mr. Ingo doesn't see you as you leave," she warns me, half leaning out of the stable, holding to the edge of the door as she watches me climb nimbly to the top of the ranch walls.

I look back down at her and my lips quirk up in a half smile. "Not being seen is my specialty." I look too long at her upturned face, wrought with concern, before coming to my senses again and vanishing over the top of the wall.

As I camp that night, my mind is filled with questions I will never have the chance to ask the _ubahitairi_ about—about life, about how she sees things, about how she sees and feels about other people and creatures, and the thing that confused me most: why did she look so concerned as I was leaving? I would reach Kakariko tomorrow afternoon and send Link on his way to Lon Lon Ranch. Malon never told me what her idea was, and I do not know if I can fully trust her yet, but I have no other choice at the moment. And, even with that in mind, I find myself questioning if she is even capable of being untrustworthy. _Ubahitairi_ are not renowned among my people for being subversive, but for the exact opposite. Mind still wondering, I fall asleep and dream about Din incarnate, with flaming tresses, pouring soul and heart into the earth.

**|||…—…|||**

* * *

**A/N: I have no excuse for the lack of updating, other than I sort of quasi-forgot about this, and didn't pick it up again until now. Unfortunately, I had to read over everything again to remember where I was going (I have the overall arc in my head, it's just the details leading up to everything that I forget), and all the fun little foreshadowing stuff I've put in the chapters. That and this is the first time I'm typing this fic directly onto the computer; usually I write things out by hand first.**

**I have also gone back and edited all the typos and stupid spelling mistakes and weird errors I could find in previous chapters. I did a bit of editing of words and such here and there, but it's nothing major and you don't have to go back and reread them. But, if you want to, be my guest! They're a bit improved now, methinks.**

**Anyway, sorry for the slow update, again, but at least I keep up every now and again!**

**Also, I just reread those of you who have reviewed this story, and I just want to thank you all! Thanks for those who gave some constructive criticism, and thanks to those who just took the time to write up a couple of words. It's all appreciated and many times, it's what keeps me going. I hope this chapter can start making up for the horribly long time I took to update, and I will hopefully chug out Chapter 6 soon, as I am feeling inspired as of late. That and I owe you guys big. So, enjoy!**

**Sheikah Language:**

_**Ubahitairi**_**: One who is blessed with Din's gift, the gift of exuberant life.**


	6. The House of the Dead

**||..—..||**

**|..Chapter Six: The House of the Dead..|**

The life of a traveller is one I have become accustomed to. I have been on my own since I was nine. My training was not complete at that time, but only my mother was left to teach me, and she was too busy at the castle to spare the time and effort to finish training me. I did not have to be driven out of Kakariko, although it very nearly came to that. I do not have many good memories of the town, and I find it amusing that I seem to constantly return to it now. The Hero of Time has more or less made his unofficial headquarters within the town, as it is the only remaining Hylian town that has resisted the King of Evil's conquest. I wonder if Kakariko will persevere long after this country has run its course. It was here long before the castle was built, and has survived fires, demons, monsters, and angry mobs. It is the Sheikah's last legacy known to the common person, although that, too, is fading from memory over time. My thoughts turn to the passageways hidden throughout the land with my people's legends and histories scrawled on the walls, and I debate once again if I, should I survive, ought to be the one to make sure they are recorded properly.

All these thoughts dissipate as I enter Kakariko Village to find it burning.

I stand at the gateway for a moment, people running around not even taking notice of my presence, before my eyes dart to the well. I know full well what is imprisoned there, and that it must not be allowed to escape. As I run through the town, I glance to either side, taking in and noting the damage. Though there is much fire, the villagers are doing everything in their power to contain and smother it. Kakariko would survive, as it always has before. That is, if the creature in the well is not allowed to escape. If it did… I am not so sure of what the outcome would be.

I reach the well and check to make sure the spells and carved incantations are all still whole seals upon it, and they are. I let out a breath and close my eyes for a moment. They are not as strong as they once were, but they still hold. I cannot reinforce them, however. Casting Sheikah sealing spells is a skill that must be studied and perfected over many years, and I never had the chance to even begin them. I open my eyes and turn back to the main square of the village. Soon after, I hear a cry of dismay, quickly followed by the appearance of a green tunic and the Hero of Time.

I go to him, informing him swiftly of what happened here as best I can, briefly as I can.

"So, what happens if that thing escapes the well?" he asks me, his blue eyes like ice.

I glance back at the well, then return my gaze to Link. "Then, you must enter into the Shadow Temple immediately and destroy the evil."

He scowls a little. "Isn't that what I must do anyway?" He sounds almost embittered, but I do not let this phase me.

"Yes, Hero, but if it escapes, expedience will be of the utmost concern."

He looks to the well now. "What exactly is it that's trapped down there?"

I hesitate for only a moment. "An ancient evil of shadow." He does not need to know the creature was once a powerful Sheikah who became so corrupt his own people imprisoned him.

Link turns his head and eyes back to me. "That doesn't tell me much about what I might very well end up facing," he says to me.

Before I can reply, the wooden well crank explodes and an eerie, barely visible shadow flies out of the well. I can see it clearly, and I know full well that Link cannot. The Sheikah the creature once was created a powerful magick that enables all other Sheikah to see the Truth of many hidden things. It expands upon the talent already bestowed upon us by the Goddesses, and amplifies it. I watch as the large shade flies around the village before swooping down to attack Link and myself. I call a warning at him, and draw a weapon to defend myself. The buzzing blackness descends too swiftly on us, and sends me flying away from Link. He shouts, and I watch helplessly as the creature whirls on itself and falls upon Link.

Only after it has begun its attack am I able to scramble to my feet and go to Link's aide. Unconsciously, a power within me rises, and I shout an ancient command that burns my throat and leaves my mind as soon as I say it. The creature reels in what I suppose is pain and flies up into the air. It heads toward the Shadow Temple in the graveyard. I sprint to Link, ignoring the shooting pain in my back and leg. Kneeling beside him, I search my various hidden pockets and pouches for smelling salts to revive him.

A few moments later, he is groaning and coughing in my arms as I put the salts away.

"Link," I say. He opens his eyes and winces as he lifts a hand to his head.

"What happened?" he asks.

"The ancient evil from within the well escaped and attacked us. How much pain are you in?" I release him as he sits up on his own, making a grunting sound.

"Not enough to stop me," he says gruffly. "I don't think anything is broken."

I nod. "You have a red potion?" He nods and reaches into a pouch to pull one out and down it. "You must enter the Shadow Temple," I tell him fiercely.

He looks at me, my sudden outburst of passion surprising him. "Of course," he replies. He gets to his feet, grimacing.

"This town cannot be allowed to fall, no matter what," I go on to say, getting to my feet as well. My throat is raw from the command I spoke earlier, but it and my fingers begin to warm with power. I did not have the chance to teach Link the song for the Temple, and that has evidently displeased the Goddesses. But, I must also warn him about the Temple itself. "You must expect what you least think will happen while within the Temple. Illusions abound, and you must always endeavour to look through them to the truth, or you will fail. Do not stay still for long, and keep one eye over your shoulder and the other to the sides. Things will come at you sideways and around the corner inside, and rarely are they straightforward, no matter what they are," I hurriedly explain to him. "You must be on your guard much more than usual in the House of the Dead."

Link is still looking at me with a strange look on his face, my words and tone unfamiliar to what he is used to from me.

"What's gotten into you, Sheik?" he asks, his brow furrowing and his eyes intense.

I shake my head. "I must teach you the song before you go, and we do not have the time to spare. Come." In an instant, my lyre is in my hands, and I can feel myself slipping into the reverie of the Goddesses. Every time, the sensation grows stronger and stronger, and I can feel myself getting lost more and more into the stream of music and power they send through me. I do not hear what words I speak to Link this time, and soon enough, my ears are filled with nothing but the melody I play on the lyre, soon joined with an ocarina. His instrument always serves to cut through the mists over my mind and bring me back to the present. I can feel my body vibrating with the last notes of the lyre strings as I open the eyes I do not remember closing and look at him.

My voice is hoarse and scraping as I say one, emphatic word to him.

"Go."

He looks at me a moment longer, odd confusion and curiosity on his face, then gives a curt nod and dashes away, pocketing his ocarina as he goes. I drop to my knees, my head swimming, watch him until he vanishes through the entranceway to the graveyard, and then fall to the ground, losing consciousness before I hit the earth.

..—..

I wake up on a hard cot in a brick building. There is a thin sheet over me, and an oil lamp burning somewhere nearby. Other than that, the room is dim, and I seem to be alone. Reflexively, my hand goes to my cowl, and I find it still in place. My armour is off, however, and I have been bandaged. I sit up and wince in pain immediately as fire shoots through my spine. I hear a noise and realise I made it out of pain, and I chastise myself. The door to the small room I occupy opens, and a middle-aged man comes in.

"Ah, you're awake. How do you feel?" he asks me, coming over and turning up the light in the oil lamp.

I give him a steady look as I decide upon my answer. "Well enough."

He clucks his tongue and leans over to inspect my bandages. "Well enough to lie back down and rest, I'd wager." My eyes narrow.

"I must see to things," I begin, but he holds up a hand to silence me.

"You aren't to move, young one. Your leg isn't broken, luckily, but your back is damaged, and it shouldn't be jostled around." He gives me a stern look as I begin to protest. "You want to be able to move like you did before, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Then you're gonna just lie back and let your body heal itself." He suddenly gives a bit of a grin and holds up a vial with dark red liquid in it, and shakes it gently. "With a bit of help, of course."

"Who are you?"

He shrugs. "Who I am isn't important. I'm someone who remembers what the Sheikah are to us Hylians, and what all they've done over the years." He looks down at me, his face strangely soft. "I'm just returning a favour from many years ago, young one."

I sense that he will not elaborate any further and merely nod my head in acquiescence and gingerly lie back down. "I thank you for it," I say instead. "How long must I stay here?"

He sits down in a chair at the table the oil lamp is on. "I don't think your back is too badly hurt, but I'd rather not have you risk it. Three days, absolute minimum. And that's only if we feed you nothing but red potions. Realistically, I'd say you'll be bounding out of here in five or six days."

I nearly let out an outburst of words, but catch myself in time. "I cannot wait that long. There are things I must attend to relatively soon."

He leans back and folds his arms over his chest. "Well, you won't be getting them done at all, let alone when you want, if you move around too much and ruin your back permanently. So, you're gonna listen to what I tell you, and stay there for the next five days or so. Then you can go, if you're well enough."

I remain silent for a few moments. "Very well," I say finally. "Thank you for your help and hospitality," I continue quietly. "There are not many people who would help someone such as myself, nowadays."

He gives me a small, somewhat wan smile. "Like I said, I'm returning a favour." After that, he stands, pulls a small table over with a cup and a pitcher of water on it next to the cot. He puts the vial of red potion on it as well. "Don't forget to keep drinking water, and take that red potion soon." He turns and exits the room, leaving me alone.

I stare up at the ceiling, watching the deep shadows dance in the light from the lamp. This is much more of a setback than I can afford. I certainly hope that it does not take Link five days to make it through the House of the Dead, for if it does take that long, I fear he will not emerge from it at all. There have been many who enter into the House that have never returned, having either fallen victim to the multitude of traps and deceptions within the Temple, or from going insane within its walls. I have more faith in Link now than I did before, after the first three Temples being purified. Still… there is nothing that I have encountered in my travels that can quite compare to the Shadow Temple. The souls of dead Hylians are housed there, guarded by a sundry of monsters and by the spirits of Sheikah that died in the service of the Royal Family and Hyrule. I wish fervently that I could have prepared Link more before he had to enter it, but nothing could be done now.

I close my eyes and draw in a breath. I must trust in him, that he will find the strength and cunning to survive. There is nothing quite like life itself to defeat death, and I know from my observations that Link is full of life. Not brimming over with it like the stable girl, Malon, but enough, I hope. My thoughts inadvertently turn to the redhead I encountered yesterday. She is fascinating. My eyes fly open. These are thoughts altogether not meant for a Sheikah. With a groan, I sit up with the help of my hands, and reach over to the table. Uncorking the vial, I down half the red potion, feeling the familiar warming sensation trickle down my throat. I pour a cup of water and sip that for a while after I set the vial back down on the little table. Forcing myself into a sitting position where I do not require the help of my hands to prop myself up, I close my eyes and release all thoughts from my mind. I have not had much time to devote to mediation recently, and I decide that it is possibly the best way to spend the next few days. While my body heals itself, I will cleanse my mind and strengthen my spirit.

..—..

By the third day, I am severely annoyed at the situation. I feel as though I am losing my sanity by being cooped up inside one small room inside a small brick building. It is becoming more and more difficult to meditate each day, as I find my mind is wandering a great deal. I am still confined to bed rest, but am able to sit up and down without too much pain or difficulty. The man who is watching over me, however, refuses to let me get up and try walking around. He comes in today with food to find me scrawling on a piece of parchment.

"Have you figured out what it means yet?" he asks as he sits down in the chair, setting the bowl of stew and the vial of red potion on the table.

I look down at the myriad of symbols I have drawn on the parchment he gave me yesterday. Ink splotches are commonplace on it and my hands, but I have written a few thoughts about and around the symbols, as well.

"I won't be able to know for sure until I can consult some other resource of knowledge than my own mottled memory," I reply.

"Well, let me take a look at them," he says, and before I can protest, takes the parchment from the table.

"I am not so certain you will be able to—" I begin, but he raises a hand and I fall silent, lips pursed slightly. What could a common Hylian peasant hope to glean from symbols so obscure that a Sheikah could not?

"Now, here," he says after a quiet moment, "is something I recognise." He puts the parchment back on the table and points to one of the symbols I have drawn the most of—the one that was tattooed on the cheek of Gerudo warrior I had fought when travelling to meet Link at the Forest Temple.

My head snaps up to look at him, and I nearly half rise off the bed before wincing and settling back down. He frowns at me a bit. "Careful," is all he says.

I shake my head a little. "I'm fine. Tell me what you know about that symbol. I feel it is very important."

"Well… I don't know much about the symbol itself, but I've seen it before."

"Where?"

The older man smiles at me. "Patience, young one. Let me get there." His brow furrows a bit as he recalls the memory. "It was many, many years ago, long before you were born. I was staying for a few nights in a village up in the mountains just within the border of Hyrule. I was out gathering firewood for the family I was staying with when I heard screams. I ran back to the village to find it burning, and a bunch of oddly dressed warriors killing everyone. They were dressed all in black and their faces were covered." His mouth draws into a thin line as he remembers the details. "They painted that symbol on the walls of every building in the people's blood when they were finished."

My gaze rests steadily on him for a moment before I speak. "What sort of warriors were they?"

"The looked as if they had come from the desert. They weren't specifically dressed like the Gerudo normally would, but it was similar."

"What do you know about them?" I ask, trying to keep my excitement subtle.

He shakes his head. "Not much. I didn't exactly introduce myself to them. I kept to the shadows of the forest until the next morning when I was sure they were gone. But that symbol—" Here he taps my drawing on the parchment and repeats his previous statement— "was painted in blood everywhere."

I shake my head.

"How do you know of this symbol, young one?" he asks.

"A small band of them attacked me some days ago, and they had this tattooed on their faces.

His brow furrows again and I watch him quietly.

"What do you know about the Gerudo?" he asks me after a moment.

"Not much. Sheikah and Gerudo have never really gotten along."

"They are mostly women," he tells me, "with a male being born ever some number of years. He is then made King of the Gerudo—which is where Gannondorf comes in. Depending on how long he has been their King…" The man drifts off, eyes distant.

"What depends on it?" I prod.

"I wonder," he beings, eyes still not focused on anything in the room, "if he meant to create a mirror image…"

My eyes narrow. "What are you talking about?" My tone is more impatient than I intend.

The old man looks at me finally. "You know, obviously, of how the Sheikah served the Royal Family."

I nod. "Of course. We were their shadow warriors."

"I'm wondering if Gannondorf isn't trying to have the same…" My eyes widen as he says this, realisation dawning upon me.

"I think," I say, "that if that is true, it would be a very bad thing if he learned to use them properly." His mouth becomes terse.

"But you said you were able to defeat them," he stated.

"Yes. But they were very good, and I am the last Sheikah remaining."

He shook his head. "There is one other," he begins.

I cut him off. "If you're talking about _her_, she cannot be included. She is too wrapped up in her duties to the Royal Family." At his questioning look, I add, "Not all Sheikah were bound to serve."

"And what about your duties?"

For a moment, I am taken aback. How could he know about my own duties to the Royal Family? Does he suspect—or know—that Queen Zelda is alive and in hiding? Then it occurs to me that he only knows that I told him I had duties, but not what they were. That is probably what he refers to.

"Defeating these Gerudo Shadow Warriors is part of my duty, now."

He nods, then stands, handing my parchment back to me. "Speaking of which, there are things that I must tend to. You rest and finish healing, Survivor of the Sheikah." He gives me a short nod of respect, then exits the room.

I am left alone to my thoughts and what he told me. If Gannondorf truly was mirroring the Royal Family and the Sheikah… Hyrule was in much more danger than I had thought.

..—..

I do not see the older man for the next few days, and by the fifth and last day of my quarantine, I decide to get up and leave myself. I would have liked to thank him for all he did for me, but the man is nowhere to be found. He did an excellent job healing me, however; there were no pains in my back at all and I felt stronger than I did before. I keep the parchments with my scrawling notes on them, folding them and putting them in a hidden pouch on my person.

The first thing I must do is make sure Link survived the House of the Dead.

I go to the graveyard and find it deserted. I have no way of knowing if Link survived or not, I realise, unless I go in. I had not been inside the Shadow Temple since I was still honing my skills in training many years ago. It used to be a rite of passage among the Sheikah—survive the House of the Dead and you were worthy enough to finish your training. Fail, and you join the ranks of nameless spirits within the temple. I easily climb over the fence in front of the entrance and head in. The old smell of ancient dirt, bones, and spiced incense floods my nostrils and I take a brief pause to collect myself. It is not completely dark as I remembered. A quick glance around the entranceway reveals that all the torch braziers have been lit, and are still burning. I do not linger to ponder what that means; I go forward to confirm it. Not all the traps were sprung and most have reset themselves, but there is definite evidence in every room I enter of someone going through before me. Impatient, I make a sharp turn and head directly to the lowest level of the Temple. Everything spirals down here, as if it were trying to suck you into its depths. I continue to search rooms as I go. Link is nowhere to be found.

As I search, there is a sudden quake that shakes the entire temple and nearly knocks me off my feet. As I regain my balance, my eyes widen.

"It's _him_," I hiss to no one, and set out at a sprint to the only place I know to look.

I see more and more evidence of Link's passage through the temple, ending with a column across the river there, creating a surrogate bridge to _his_ lair. An inhuman roar comes from within, followed by the sound of a very large drum. My brow furrows. A drum? Shaking my head and resolving to leave such thoughts for later, I charge across the downed column and burst through the door. I soon find myself falling into blackness. Biting my tongue, I keep myself from screaming and force my eyes to stay open. I fear nothing in the House of the Dead, I tell myself over and over. I am Sheikah, and the Dead must answer to me, not the other way around.

I land on a very taut surface and bounce twice before landing on my feet and regaining my balance.

"Sheik!" Link cries out. "Look out!"

I whirl and jump backwards as a giant purple hand slams down on the surface where I had just been. I dart over to Link, keeping my eyes on the phantom circling what I assume to be the drum I heard earlier, and what we are standing on.

"You can see him?" I ask Link.

"Yes."

"How—" I spare a glance over to the Hylian and see him using the Eye of Truth. "Ah. Good." My eyes go back to the ancient Sheikah ghost.

"How do we defeat it?" Link asks me as we simultaneously avoid the large hands trying to capture us.

I size up the phantom before answering him. "You have a bow?"

"Of course."

"Hit the palm of his hands."

Link gives a curt nod I catch out of the corner of my eye. He pulls out his bow and nocks an arrow in it, drawing it halfway and waiting for the right moment. He fires a few arrows, narrowly missing one hand a few times. He runs beside me, panting, bow lowered.

"I'm running low on arrows," he tells me between breaths. "It's just so fast…"

I shoot him a look as we run around the drum once more.

"Very well, Hero. I will handle his hands. When I hit one, he should be distracted enough by me for you to attack his weak spot," I tell him.

"Which is… that eye-thing?" he asks. I nod in answer.

"Yes. Be ready." That said, I run opposite him and draw out my metal darts and hold them between my fingers. I watch the phantom Sheikah for a few moments before aiming and throwing two very quickly. At least one hits and blood spurts from the wound. The phantom roars again and lowers what used to be his head close to the drum to watch me. He tries to shake the dart from his hand, not noticing Link running up to him from the other direction, sword drawn, to attack his head.

The Hero of Time manages to get in a number of good attacks before the phantom draws back and up sharply, a scream and dark blood pouring from his head.

"Again!" Link shouts at me, backing away from the Sheikah. I clench my jaw as I watch the Sheikah look from one of us to the other, possibly trying to discern which one of us was more of a threat.

In the end, he chose Link as the bigger threat and went after the Hylian. The phantom began drumming with more intensity then before, trying to use the tension and vibration of the drumhead to throw us off balance. It almost works on Link, who stumbles several times, but I am able to keep my balance almost easily. The centuries must have made the ancient ghost predictable, for he drummed very repetitiously. Biding my time and moving the darts around in my fingers, I see my opening and throw two more at the phantom. I know both hit this time by the two small gushes of blood. Link does not miss a beat and when the Sheikah moves his hands to look at his wounds, Link literally jumps in with sword raised, bringing it down again and again on the head.

"Sheik-!" Link calls out, and I instantly understand his request and run over, drawing my curved blade.

Together, we hack and slash at the ancient phantom until he finally reels back, crying out in pain. He falls back from the drum into blackness. We are both still on high guard, and walk cautiously to the edge.

"Is that it?" Link asks, his sword dripping blood steadily onto the drumhead. I look over at him to answer, but am cut off before I can speak.

"Yes, Hero of Time," comes a woman's voice from behind us. We both turn, although I already know who we will see.

Impa, Royal Servant and Sheikah _Sahair_, is surrounded by a purple glow. She hovers just above the drumhead and gives a smile to Link as he draws near. I stop halfway to her from the edge, and Link does not notice. Impa does not look in my direction. I do not hear what she says as she speaks to Link, because the rushing sound of the Goddesses is filling my ears once more. My vision begins to tunnel and I black out.

..—..

The air around me is quiet—unnaturally so. There are no animal sounds, no insects, nothing. The only thing I can discern as I come back into consciousness is the quiet rushing of distant water. I open my eyes to a bright blue light that does not seem to have any single source.

"Sheik." It is not a question spoken. The voice is ancient and echoing. I look around for the man who spoke as my eyes adjust to the brightness.

"You introduce yourself as Sheik, Survivor of the Sheikah. This is not your title, nor even a true statement."

I slowly get to my feet to avoid a head rush; I feel more comfortable if I am able to move quickly if need be.

"Who are you?" I ask, still unable to find the speaker.

"I am Raaru, the Sage of Light. You are in the Sacred Realm."

I whirl to look behind me and finally am face to face with the ancient sage.

"What does it matter how I introduce myself?" I stand straight, appearing relaxed, but on guard. "I have no title."

"Ah," Raaru says, slipping his hand into his robe sleeves, "but you do. The Three have bestowed it upon you." He watches me with piercing blue eyes.

I narrow my own. "What is it?" I ask

He smiles, the movement half-amusement, half-mocking. "It is not for me to reveal."

"But you know what it is."

"Yes. The Three will show you when they deem the time right."

I can feel anger growing inside me. "What if They meant this to be the time? How can you know their will so well? What happens if you are wrong?"

The sage shakes his head. "This is why the Sheikah were never beloved of the Three."

"Because we wish to understand?"

"Because you question everything," he nearly snaps at me. Regaining his composure, he takes a deep breath. "I know this because I am a sage, Sheik. In time, you _will_ understand."

I can feel myself slipping away from the Sacred Realm—or is the Realm slipping away from me?-and my vision begins to white out again.

"Wait, I want to know…" Raaru is already gone, and the Sacred Realm along with him.

I sit up abruptly in a bed, crying out indiscernible words. Breathing heavily, my eyes flick around the room and I recognise where I am. Flinging back the blankets, I rush out of the room and find the older man who had nursed me back to health.

"How did I get here?" I demand.

He blinks up at me. "I… well… Didn't you leave to go to the graveyard a few days ago?" His brow furrows. "I could've sworn you did…"

Snarling curses in the Sheikah tongue, I storm out of the building and into Kakariko. Ignoring the stares of the villagers, I search the town rapidly for any signs of Link.

"The Hero of Time? Oh, he left a few days ago. Said something about the desert," one villager tells me. I am almost surprised she is so willing to help me until I realise that she is blind.

"Thank you, _mamari_," I tell her, bowing and kissing her hand to show respect. I leave her wondering as I dart out of the village. Now is the time for speed, I decide, and make my way toward Lon Lon Ranch. I need a mount.

..—..

I climb the outer wall of the ranch once more, noting how lighter the air felt and even looked. Moving quickly along the top, I immediately spot the red of Malon's hair within the centre of the ranch. I wait until she walks near a portion of the wall near me and drop down behind her. She whirls, though she is absent a pitchfork this time.

"You!" she growls. "You could just use the front gate now, you know!" She points beyond me, one hand fisted on her hip. I glance behind to the trail leading to the front of the ranch and discover it to be free of gates.

"So I could have," I agree, looking back at her. "But using conventional means is not much like a Sheikah." I smile behind my cowl. This woman stirs such odd things…

She rolls her eyes skyward. "We couldn't have your mysterious Sheikah reputation tarnished," she replies sarcastically. "So, what is it you want?" She grins at me, bright as the sun itself. "I got the ranch back, as you can probably guess."

"How did you manage that?"

"Well…" she blushes lightly. "Link actually did it. He bet Mr. Ingo to a race and rode Epona. Obviously Link won."

"Obviously."

"Well, he took Epona and jumped over the wall—I've never seen her jump that high before, it was a sight to see, I tell you." Her eyes light up and her voice raises with excitement. I get a twist of something evil in my gut. "Anyway, they go jumping over the wall and escape, and Mr. Ingo just comes up to me and hands over everything. Just like that." Malon snaps her fingers for emphasis.

"The Evil King's power was broken, then," I reply. It takes me aback to realise this feeling in my gut is jealousy.

"Seems around right to me. You did good in telling him to come here," she chimes. "Now, what do you want?"

I force my mind back to the task at present.

"I need a horse. Link has gone into the desert and the only way I can catch up to him is by horse. Especially since he has one, now."

Malon purses her lips. "Well… Epona was my fastest horse…"

"What is your second-fastest?"

She laughs. "Oh, he'd be a bit too temperamental for you. I remember what happened last time," she added before I could interject. "Let me see, let me see… Who would be good for you…?" She taps her finger against her lips as she thinks.

A smile breaks her face. "Oh, yes, he will do nicely. Fast, but even tempered." The redhead gives me a long sideward glance. "Just like you seem to be."

I feel the heat rise in my cheeks and hope my cowl hides the colour. "Where is this horse?" I ask instead.

"Wait here." She vanishes into the barn.

Minutes pass. The breeze picks up and birdsong accompanied by horses whickering and pawing at the ground reaches my ears. I close my eyes and turn to face the wind. Even in the midst of everything going on that was evil in the country, this ranch somehow was at the eye of the storm. I have not known a peace like this since I meditated in the desert so long ago.

"This is Nurien." Malon's voice comes from behind me and I turn to face her.

She leads a horse blacker than any other I've seen—so black that it reflects a deep purple. The bit and bridle are made of silver and a dark mahogany leather, matching the saddle she put on it. The horse bears no markings aside from a splatter of white splotches across its flanks.

"What did you say its name was?" I ask, stepping closer to the horse and raising a hand to its muzzle.

"His name is Nurien. It means 'night sky'." She hands the reigns to me and our fingers brush. My eyes snap away from the horse and to Malon. Her eyes look directly into mine and I feel a twist deep in my gut.

"Thank you," I say quietly.

"He's a good horse," she tells me, stepping away from me to pat Nurien on his side. As she rubs his neck, she shoots a glance at me. "Don't let anything happen to him. I want him back in one piece, Sheik of the Sheikahs." Her voice has a light catch in it.

"He means a lot to you?" I look up at the horse's eyes, a burnt sort of brown colour.

"More than I expected," she replies quietly. Shaking her head, she walks back to my other side and pushes me toward Nurien. "Go. Catch up with Link. You've wasted enough time as it is."

I swing up into the saddle and look down at her for a second. I am about to say something, but the thought leaves my mind when she smacks Nurien's flank sharply and sets him off running.

"Go!"

I glance back only once before the horse and I round a curve on the trail leaving the ranch. Malon does not watch me leave. Settling down into the saddle, I spur Nurien onward to the desert. Link and the Gerudo await me there.

**|||…—…|||**

* * *

**A/N: ****Got some inspiration out of nowhere one night to work on this again… probably because a song that I've come to associate with the scene at the end of my last chapter (the one between Malon and Sheik, obviously) came on during my drive home, and it made me think of this. I don't intend to have such a long break between chapters as the one as between four and five.**

**Events are a little jumbled in this chapter, mainly because that's how it came out, and also because I haven't played the game in forever (as my N64 controllers are currently AWOL, which bothers me…), and I don't remember all the details. It's nothing major, so no fretting.**

**I'm totally sorry for possibly making this a **_**longer**_** break between chapter five and this one than that between four and five. Just as I was working on this one about a year ago, some friends and I started a Star Wars campaign that completely took over my life, and then I moved into my own place (where I has no internets) and…. Well, yeah. Real life sort of took over for a little while. BUT! I didn't forget about it, and even had ideas percolating all throughout, so I can finally finish this chapter. Apologies again! One of these years, I will actually write on schedule the way I want to…. I swear...**

**I make up for it by having this chapter be obscenely longer than all the others. They've been coming to their own natural conclusions so far, and this one just happened to be much longer. So enjoy.**

**Sheikah Language:**

_**Mamari**_**: Mother; a respectful term for an older woman**


	7. The Path

**||..—..||**

**|..Chapter Seven: The Path..|**

By the time I reach the desert on Nurien, I discover Link to be a prisoner of the Gerudo. A Shadow Warrior could probably have easily slipped in past the guards, freed the Hero of Time, and slipped them both out again, but I do not think Link to be in any imminent danger, so I do not pursue a course of action to rescue him. It is not that I have _complete_ faith in his abilities, but… He _is_ the Hero of Time, after all.

Instead, I take this unexpected respite from tracking the Hylian down in the expanse of sand, as I had feared I would have had to do, to ride back to the camp Zelda and I made so many months ago. It was going on two weeks—possibly more—since last I reported to her, and I know she will be restless.

I spot the three small tents from atop a dune and pause momentarily before heading to them. I think I will leave out the part where the Gerudo warriors hold Link captive. Knowing Zelda, she would only rush to his aid when that is probably one of the worst things she could do. For her young years, the Queen is wise, yes, but she is also very rash when it comes to her emotions. She has much to learn and temper to be a gracious queen.

I spur my horse down the dune to the small camp, the noise calling Zelda out from her tend to see who draws near. I am pleased to see she wears her disguise. She lifts a hand to shield her eyes from the sun behind me, unable to clearly identify who I am. I stop a bit of distance away from the tents to show I come on friendly terms, and though the thought to bow comes to mind, I choose to ignore it. Finally, she recognises me.

"Sheik?" Zelda tentatively calls out. "When did you get a horse?"

I give Nurien his head and a nudge to the tents, allowing him to walk to them at his own pace.

"Just a few days ago," I reply. "Malon was kind enough to supply him to me."

Zelda has taken the cowl from her face by this point. With no one around but myself, the camel, and a few goats, she has taken to wearing simple desert clothing for travelling—when she is not masquerading as me—and allows her face to be uncovered most of the time. In all honesty, even if she were not to dress in my clothing, I do not think there would be many who would recognise the Queen of Hyrule in a common nomad's outfit, skin bronzed from the sun and sand. But only if they ignored the deep amethyst of her eyes: they would always by a giveaway, were it not for the glamour enchantment she cast on them. Those eyes narrowed at me at the mention of Malon's name.

"Malon? I thought you didn't want to be seen by anyone, let alone start conversing and making friends?"

I shrug. "I wouldn't call Malon a 'friend', per se—" Don't know what I want to call her, don't know what to think of her—"She owns Lon Lon Ranch with her father. Link's horse comes from her, as well, and if he is mounted, I need to be mounted to keep up with him," I explain. "And you, my Queen, need to keep your emotions under more control," I chide her.

"My—" She begins an outburst, but then realises what she is doing and catches herself. "Yes, _sahair_," she replies, bowing her head to me. Just as quickly, however, she lifts her head and is once more royalty rather than student.

"If Link has a horse now, why do you waste time to come back here?" she asks me.

"Because I can offer no assistance to him right now, and it is important I check in on you when I can. You must not slacken in your training."

"I see," is all she says.

I wait a moment longer to see if she says anything more, then dismount when she does not.. I lead Nurien to the supply of water we keep handy and replenish to let him drink his fill. I have not pushed him hard, but the heat of the desert created a light sheen of sweat across his fur. Remembering Malon's devotion to these creatures, I locate a scrap of cloth, dip it into the water, and rub down Nurien's coat with it. He gives a shudder of pleasure to my administration.

Zelda watches me curiously. I make no comment to her staring.

"I have never seen you so… attentive," she remarks finally. There is a slight catch to her voice that almost makes me want to turn around, but I do not stop in my task to address her. She is lonely for her people, I sense. Zelda, once tempered to the role, would probably make an excellent queen. She truly cares for her people and wishes to see them as a cohesive whole. But, I fear being out in the desert by herself is beginning to take its toll; I suspect she is starting to turn her affections to me. And any affections turned toward me are wasted.

"Malon seemed to care a lot about this horse," I reply, dipping the cloth in the water again to cool it. "I do not intend to mistreat him."

Zelda says nothing more, but I can almost feel unsaid words hanging in the air. She moves back toward the tents when it becomes apparent I have nothing more to say.

I murmur words to Nurien in Sheikahn until he seems content in temperature. I tie his reigns to one of the posts that hold the water reservoir and walk to my tent to wash the dirt of desert and travel from my face and hands. Zelda is not in sight, so I assume she has gone into her tent. We have three tents set up in our little camp—the queen's, mind, and a slightly larger tent between our individual ones we use for meals and discussion. Each of our personal tents is smaller—large enough only for one, maybe two people to inhabit comfortable. The communal one could fit five. I do not know what Zelda has in her tent, but I am a creature of simple lifestyle, and so have a bedroll, washbasin with a small mirror, and my travelling pack within mine. After entering, I close the tent entranceway and slip the knobs through their hoops to more or less lock it for privacy. I see that Zelda is starting a fire as the sun dips below the dune I rode down earlier, and start to unwrap my cowl. I take the headwrap from my head, as well, and strip off my clothing and armour to my waist. A long, thin scar traces its way across my chest, wrapping around the right side of my ribcage and abdomen. It is not so fresh that I take much notice of its presence, but my fingers involuntarily scrape along the thickest and deepest part of it, which runs along my bottom rib. It came from a fight that I do not take pride in, nor care to remember, from a time I do not care to dwell on. I have a few fresh cuts and bruises here and there, but nothing that will not heal on its own. I remember and silently thank the old man who helped me in Kakariko. My back feels perfectly fine due to his mending abilities.

I kneel before the washbasin and fill it with water from my canteen. An unprovoked smile draws my mouth as I dip my hand into the cool water. It feels just as refreshing on my face, tiny droplets falling down my shoulders and chest from where they cling to my hair. I am completely entranced by the sensations and close my eyes, unawares of my surroundings for once. I let my guard down because I feel safe and I trust.

An audible sucking in of breath snaps my eyes open and whips my body around, fingers wrapping around the blade I have next to me on the ground. I hiss out a vile string of words in my native tongue and let go of the dagger at my side.

"How dare you," I say in Hylian through clenched teeth.

Zelda stares at my halfway crouched position with wide eyes, the tent flap locks deftly undone to create a sliver of an opening.

"Sheik," she finally says, quiet. "I… I didn't know—"

"Didn't know I wanted privacy? You undid the locks, _sahair_." I am furious. She has seen my face. "You knew," I accused her. "You knew the privacy of my people."

Her face flushes. She stammers for a moment, then gets out, "I didn't know you were so handsome…"

My eyes flash and the control I maintain over my emotions slips entirely away. I rise to my feet and advance on her, snarling. "You have broken a sacred tradition, an unwritten law of the Sheikah warriors, and all you muse about is my face?" Zelda seems to snap out of whatever trance she had gone into and becomes aware of the anger directed at her.

"Well, I meant to harm," she begins.

"Whatever your intentions, you have caused it. Get out of my tent."

She is taken aback. "Sheik, I never meant—"

My eyes narrow. "Get. Out."

I see her visibly stiffen and raise her chin. Her voice becomes more authoritative.

"You cannot order the Queen of Hyrule to leave, Sheik." She looks me directly in the eye, as if daring my to defy her.

I have no objections right now in doing so.

"You will leave this tent, Queen Zelda, or you will find yourself removed."

"Are—are you _threatening_ me?"

I do not say anything. Images of having to wrestle the young queen bodily out of my tent flash through my mind. Of such a conflict occurring that bridges I might need later would be closed to me, burned in one heated moment of betrayal and anger. So, instead, I turn and gather my things. I pull my clothing and armour back on, replace my cowl and headwrap. Zelda watches me silently al the while. She still sands in my way when I turn to exit the tent.

"Sheik, what are you doing?"

"You no longer require my services, Queen Zelda," I say, my voice calm once more.

"What are you talking about? Of course I—"

I continue, ignoring her words. "You know more than a sufficient amount to avoid being seen by the wrong people and can hold your own in battle, though I hope it does not come to that." I glance at her face, which is still filled with shock. My eyes are cold. "_Rayahnta, kershii_, Queen Zelda." I push past her out of the tent, and she does nothing to stop me. Nurien, I notice, is looking directly at me. The argument must have caught his attention.

I go to the communal tent and gather a few fresh canteens and dried meats and fruits before placing my gear onto Nurien's saddle and untying his reigns. Zelda has left what was my tent to watch me go—or try and stop me, I neither know nor care. I blatantly ignore all the words and pleas she voices to me as I go back to my tent to break it down. It does not take me long, but I feel as though the minutes drag out as she watches me, every so often pleading again for me to stay. Once finished, I fasten the rolled tent with the rest of my things and swing up into the saddle, pulling my cowl over my nose. I leave the camp without sparing another glance at Zelda. Once out of view and assured Zelda was not following, I reign in Nurien and dismount. Taking a few moments to alter a few scraps of cloth and some leather strings, I fashion a sort of mask to cover Nurien's noise from the dust storms I know we would encounter. There is not much can do for his eyes, but I can at least protect his nose. I remount the dark horse and continue on our way. Link might have escaped the Gerudos by this point, but I have no way of telling. I am tempted travel to a small oasis I know of, having been robbed my few days of respite by Zelda, but a sense of urgency and a gnawing duty makes me aim Nurien toward the Gerudo Fortress. I must know more about them, and find out what I can of the shadow Gerudo warriors.

As I ride, I try to not allow my thoughts to drift to Zelda and her betrayal of my trust. Royalty or not, what she did has no excuse and no forgiving. I will continue to do my duty to Hyrule, but I know I will not find my atonement through Zelda any longer. I will find another way.

**||..—..||**

The rise of the moon brings me within sight of the Gerudo Fortress walls. Half made of stone, half carved from rock, I deem it easy to scale and enter. The patrols the woman march is plainly seen and very regular; they do not expect anyone to attack them, let alone a single intruder. Certainly not a shadow walker.

I walk Nurien along the inside of a canyon's walls before releasing him. The trail will eventually lead back to Hyrule if he must leave the desert, as I am hesitant to tie him to a rock where he might not be able to free himself from if a dust storm comes, of if something happens and I cannot release him. I trust in Malon's talent with horses and pray he will be near if and when I need him. I rub his neck and scratch where his jaw meets his neck, causing him to crane his great head outward, his eyes half closing. I speak to him in Sheikah, telling him what I am going to do and for him to stay close by if he wishes. I take a few items from my pack with me, in case I am gone a long while—or in case I return to find Nurien gone. Nurien watches me as I head back the way we had just come, hugging the canyon wall opposite. I glance back to see him cock one of his back hooves and smile slightly. It looks as if he'd stay. Satisfied with that thought, I return my attention to the task at hand. The Goddesses are with me tonight, I find myself thinking. The moon slides behind wisps of cloud, casting shadows that I can blend into seamlessly. I do not check my weapons to make sure they are secure; I know that they are. I do, however, tighten my headwrap and make sure my cowl in is place. I scale some of the cliff near the closest wall, pause to make certain they have not spotted me, then begin to go sideways toward the fortress.

None of the guards notice me. None of them even look in my direction. I am across the wall and into a window without any of them so much as batting an eye. Once inside, their guards are even more lax. I sneak behind a guard until she stops to chat with another guard about the new prisoner they captured. Some Hylian who had already tried to escape twice. My eyes perk at this information—that has to be Link. I slip away from them and always turn left until I start seeing rooms I recognise, then piece together the layout from that. From what I remember of the outside, what I think is their jail is located on the opposite end to where I am. Three voices draw near to my location, and I realise I let my guard down due to the lack of competent guard rotations. There is nowhere to hide behind where I am crouched by the doorway—I must go outside and risk that or guarantee being seen inside here. My eyes flick back to the growing voices and then to the dark outside. I will take my chances out there. Darting out the door and staying as close to the ground and wall as I can, I move quickly. There are crates lying strewn about, providing small but adequate cover. Certainly enough for what I require at the moment. I duck behind two that are lying next to each other just as three women emerge from the doorway I was occupying moments before. They are unaware of my presence and walk right by me. I sneer under my cowl. They don't even bother to look around as they walk. The Gerudo seem to be utterly confident in themselves and their fortress, a Sheikah _sahair_ could get by them.

And it is then that the full weight the black Gerudo warriors could represent hits me. If those women truly are to these guards what the Sheikah were to the Royal Hylian Family… Even the Hero of Time might not be able to stop Gannondorf. They must be stopped. I know I have one more warping song to teach Link at the Goddess in the Sand, but after that I must leave the rest of what needs to be done to Zelda. Thankfully, she already knows this; we laid down the plan for the Hero of Time and how we would go about helping him—mainly to coordinate Zelda going unnoticed by Gannondorf or his minions—long ago. I do not need to seek her out again, after what she has done, to inform her. It is then I realise I have not told her of the black Gerudo. I did not have the chance to launch into a full report before she violated sacred tradition and my trust. I will tell Link, however, and hope that he has the opportunity to pass the information along to her. But first, I must find Link and tell him.

I move quickly, for I do not want to waste time and risk the clouds moving from the moon and losing the cover they provide. It only takes me a few minutes to evade the few guards remaining between the tall jail tower and myself, and to scale the side to a small opening I can see from the base. I slide inside and hang from the sill momentarily, taking the time to scan the cell beneath me.

A loud thump sounds directly beside me and startles me enough that the grip of one of my hands slips. Despite my love of climbing and no fear of heights, my stomach clenches for a few instants. Glancing over to discover the source of the sound, I find myself face to face with a hookshot. That confirmed my suspicions that Link was down there. I look up at the sill again and swing my arm up to grab the ledge, pulling myself up in the process. Unfortunately, Link is pulling himself up via the hookshot at the same time, and the wooden sill was not intended for the weight of two grown men hanging off it. I wince as I hear the first crack, and have only a second's worth of registering that I am going to fall very soon, before just that happens. Link hits the cell floor first, not having been very far off the ground yet, and has the misfortune of acting as a landing pad for me.

"Are you all right?" I ask him as he grunts and begins to detangle his limbs from mine.

"Sheik? What in Din's name are _you_ doing here? Falling on me, no less?" Link's voice is surprised. We both manage to roll away from each other and get to our feet. He draws the hookshot back into its holder, pulling off the broken piece of wood still stuck to the end.

"The falling was unintentional," I reply. "I came here to warn you of a growing threat."

"Yeah, Gannondorf, I know," Link begins.

I shake my head. "No, it's more than that. I have reason to believe Gannondorf is trying to mirror the Royal Family by creating Gerudo shadow warriors."

Link appears slightly shocked, but keeps it calm, all the same. "To fight in his armies?"

"At times, yes. But not mostly."

Link looks at me. The five temples he has already cleansed have aged him greatly—in body as well as in spirit and mind.

"What does it mean, Sheik? Cut to the chase."

"Link, what do you know of the Sheikah?" I ask him instead.

He glances about, as if ashamed. "Not much," he admits. "Just whatever I've heard from you and a few others."

"Then, to be brief, the Sheikah were once the shadow warriors of Hyrule. We are a cousin race to yours, and so had agreed to help the former King of Hyrule during the Hyrulean Civil War, where most of my people died." I pause for a moment.

"Sheik, I'm sorry—" Link starts again, but I hold up my hand to silence him.

"That is not my point. Even before that, we Sheikah served as infiltrators, dark sorcerers, illusionists, shadow assassins… but most importantly, shadow warriors. We move unseen, we strike in the dark when no one can see but us. Lies and hidden truths are illuminated to us." I look him directly in the eyes, crimson clashing with cerulean. "All the tasks and duties unfit for the light of day or so-called 'cultured' civilisations, those were the tasks Hylians gave the Sheikah. We did your dirty work. And we excelled at it."

Link shifts uncomfortably. "I never—" he tries again.

"Link," I say fiercely, catching his attention again, "you're not understanding what I'm saying. What happened to the Sheikah before does not matter right now. Listen to me again: Gannondorf is creating shadow Gerudo warriors."

His eyes widen as the information finally sinks in.

"Oh, no," he breathes. "We have to stop him!"

"Yes—we were going to do that, anyway. It's just now the stakes are higher." I try to not see the image of what might happen to Malon if Gannondorf's shadow Gerudo succeed in becoming a force of their own. "There are already bands of them—have been for some time now, apparently." The old man's words of seeing them and their symbol over two decades ago come to my mind. "I fear it is far too late to nip them in the bud; they have been around too long at this point. Gannondorf has been planning this for a long time."

"What can we do?" Link asks. I am taken aback by the tone of his question—he has complete and utter faith and trust in me.

"We can't do anything with as little information as we have now. We need to find out more about them." I pause. "That is actually the main reason why I am here—to learn more about these shadow Gerudo if I can."

Link does not appear to take offence to the implication that I did not come here to rescue him. He merely nods.

"I have already engaged a few of them some time ago," I continue, "and they were well-seasoned warriors. A man in Kakariko knew of them from at least two decades ago, when a group of them slaughtered an entire village." Link's lips curl in disgust. "As I said, Gannondorf has been planning this for a long time."

"How do we go about finding more information about these warriors?"

"Let me worry about that. You continue on as you have been; Gannondorf himself must still be stopped. These shadow Gerudo will not go away simply because their leader has been defeated, however. There will be plenty to deal with after you have stopped him." I glance up at the window, noting the level of darkness, then return my gaze to Link. "The more quickly you can escape from here and continue on, the better."

He gives me an incredulous glance. "Exactly my thought before the window ledge broke."

I look up. "Rafters are sturdier," I tell him, then make my way up the tall cell to the window by vaulting from the floor to the wall to the broken ledge. I grasp hold of the top of the frame, still intact, and swing myself through it. I can here Link say something to himself, followed by the sound of his hookshot sinking into the thick wood of the rafters.

Satisfied with that I see in Link now, I am more confident in his abilities than before. I now have no qualms whatsoever leaving him to continue while I pursue information. Now the only task immediately before me is to scour the entire fortress for anything I can glean.

..—..

I slip from shadow to shadow in the ever-lessening night, epitome of my race's legacy. I pause wherever there are voices, or if more than one guard is nearby me. Soon, I have completely memorised their Fortress layout, and am piecing the bits of information I have heard thus far into a cohesive whole in my mind. There is, unfortunately, very little talk of the shadow Gerudo. What there is an abundance of talk about, however, is of their leader, Nabooru, and how she travelled to the temple of the Goddess in the Sand several weeks ago, and has not been seen or heard from since. All the Gerudo are worried about her absence, but cannot spare a search party due to the skeleton crew guarding the Fortress now. It makes me look down on them a little less to hear this excuse for a guard placement is not their norm. It seems the majority of their warriors are with their king, Gannondorf. The only mention of the shadow Gerudo are two guards speaking in hushed voices, even though there is no one to be seen around them. They mention a band of Midirii—I assume that is the name the Gerudo have given their shadow warriors—that is out searching for the former Princess Zelda. Despite her persona betrayal to me, I still do not wish harm upon her, and fear twists my gut until I hear the guards mention them looking last in Kakariko Village. I relax slightly. The desert would certainly not be among the first places that come to mind to search for Zelda, though it does explain the burning of Kakariko. It has been by the grace of the Goddesses that Zelda ended up with me, and that I almost always stay on the move. I instilled that in her early on, after Gannondorf assassinated her father and took control of the kingdom, and I am glad that I did.

After taking as much time as I allow myself to be within the Fortress itself, I go outside via a nearby doorway and discover the sky greying with pre-dawn light. I have paid less attention to the passing of time than I thought, and now hurry back to where I left Nurien. My exit warrants no detection, the same as my entrance. The dark horse is where I left him, eyes half-closed in sleep. His ears flick back as I approach and I run a hand along his neck, circling around in front of him.

"Only one more place to go," I tell him in Sheikah, "and then we will leave the desert." As I swing up into the saddle, part of me feels I should be the better man and warn Zelda those called Midirii are in search of her… but the majority of me never wants her in my line of sight again.

Sighing, I spur Nurien into motion and head toward Zelda's camp. "Two more places," I correct myself to Nurien. Though I have come to dislike the vessel, I must remain true to my duty to the kingdom and the Goddesses, as it now may threaten her life even more immediately than Gannondorf's ever-looming presence through the land. I do not look forward to the confrontation. To delay as much as I am willing, I ride perhaps halfway to where I know Zelda's camp to be, and then make my own. I feed and water Nurien, then brush him down slightly before replacing the cloth over his nose. That done, I set up my tent and go inside, turning out my bedroll and debating if I am tired enough to skip my washing ritual for the evening.

I hear the sound of the tent burlap being pushed aside and half my brain goes to Zelda while the other half goes on the defensive. My eyes lock onto those of the intruder and I laugh, getting to my feet. I walk over to the large dark head of Nurien, who has nosed his way partially inside to stare straight at me. I look around the tent. So long as he doesn't walk near the outer perimeter with his head fully raised or rear up at all, I figure there was enough room to accommodate both of us. I push the tent flap aside to allow the rest of the big horse entry.

I watch him cautiously as he stands in the middle of the tent, flicking his tail a few times as he looks from side to side. To my delight, he folds his legs beneath him and drops to the ground, a light cloud of dust rising around him.

"I think Malon chose well, after all, when she handed me your reigns," I tell him, moving my bedroll to be parallel to the horse. I do not bother with a fire, and quickly drift to sleep after lying down my head.

By late morning, I have everything packed tightly and fastened to Nurien's saddle. There is no need for me to run what words I will say through my mind; I know I will speak with as much brevity as I possibly can. Not only do I wish to linger as little as feasible in Zelda's company, I must also reach the Goddess in the Sand to meet Link there and teach him the final warping song. The thought sobers me, for I find myself looking forward to playing music with Link. As much as I long for Gannondorf to be dealt with a gone, I regret the music with him has to come to an end. I feel something stir within me, an aching that seems too big to fit inside my body, and the joints of my fingers long to curl around my lyre and strum the strings. The feel of the saddle and Nurien beneath it fade from my senses as the familiar sensation of the Goddesses' power floods me.

Euphoria tingles my every nerve into almost oversensitivity and I can feel every part of me filled with vibration, down to my very core. I do not hear their voices so much as feel the impressions they wish to convey upon me. Talk is far too simple a concept for when the Goddesses communicate with mortals. Why they have chosen me, a Sheikah, the outcast race, to communicate with is far beyond my understanding, but I care not as rapture encases me. They implore me to release myself into this last song, for it is one of the most powerful. It cannot fail. They call me by my true name and fill my mind and soul with the complete path of my destiny, my purpose in life and in this war. They do not show me the future; merely illuminate the path I was born to walk. The path that I am needed to walk for this world to survive in any sense of the word. I hear the strains of melody in my mind, feel them burned into my soul. And then it fades, the Goddesses gone.

Nurien has stopped, but I give him a nudge with my knees and he sets out again, this time at a trot. This confrontation with Zelda must happen, and it is better done sooner rather than not. My hands ache to play the last song accompanied by an ocarina.

* * *

**A/N: ****Slight AU 'cause Sheik is his own character and I'm taking some liberties with other things in the story to make it fun and exciting. Nurien is mine, however.**

**Augh. This is all I have to say about this recurring theme of me failing to update. Honestly, I didn't really have any ideas for this chapter for a while… I hope it came out all right. As it seems to happen with all the chapters I get stuck on, I sit on them for a while (a rather long while, it unfortunately seems), and then work on them like mad because I have copious amounts of ideas.**

**Sheikah Language: _Rayahnta Kershii_ - Reign Long**


End file.
